Enough is enough is enough!

The headlines only give a hint of what actually happened: 14 of our gallant Marines have been killed in an ambush by at first, MILF fighters, and then in all possibility joined by Abu Sayyaf bandits. The firefight lasted 10 hours. After the smoke cleared, 14 soldiers lay dead, 10 of them beheaded. Reports even say that some of them had their private parts cut off! The soldiers, around 50 of them, faced about 400 MILF/Abu Sayyaf fighters/bandits. According to reports, the soldiers tried to use their mortars but these malfunctioned. News footages even showed the attackers displaying the soldiers’ weapons. Spoils of war which I’m sure these vermin will eventually use against this country.

How many times must our soldiers endure this kind of lopsided encounters? And to think that this government is in the middle of peace talks with the MILF! Where was peace when they were ambushed? One of their trucks stalled in the mud, so they had to get off and push. That’s when they were fired upon. According to the MILF spokesperson, the Marines did not coordinate with them, and they entered their territory. Uncoordinated movement of troops, he claims. That’s why they were attacked. Excuse me, since when did Basilan become sovereign to an armed group like the MILF? Last time I looked, it was still part of the Republic of the Philippines, subject to the laws of the land and of the Constitution! Just because these guys are armed, they can claim territory and shoot anyone who strays into “their land”? Who should ask permission to carry arms in the first place? Mindanao may be autonomous but it is still subject to the laws of the Republic. So I don’t buy the explanation that the Marines did not coordinate their movement with the MILF! That’s just plain stupid, considering that a ceasefire is supposed to be in effect! And the Marines were not even on combat patrol. They were just passing through after a futile search for the missing Italian priest, Fr. Bossi. And the beheadings are just another atrocity added to the elongating list of atrocities committed by the likes of the Abu Sayyaf, Lost Command, breakaway group, lawless elements and whoever or whatever. Every time an atrocity is committed, the MILF is quick to state that these are breakaway or lawless groups. How convenient! To me they are all the same – Muslim militants who just want everything, and will use deadly force and intimidation to achieve it.

The failure of the Marines’ mortar is proof of our fighting men’s frustration on how they are supplied and armed. We have heard the complaints of those involved in the Oakwood mutiny. So now we have a painful revelation. Our soldiers in the field have lousy equipment and are left to fend for themselves. I’m pretty sure that the mortars and whatever weapons stored in the Palace are in perfect working order. But where do these weapons count the most? They should be given to those who fight in the field, where they ensure our safety and our way of life.

How long must this administration keep on bending backwards to appease and accommodate a group like the MILF? This latest atrocity is just another in a long history of atrocities committed by Muslim radicals and extremists dating back to the Marcos era. Even the latest ceasefire becomes suspect, as it may just be an opportunity for these vermin to rearm and supply themselves without government scrutiny and regulation. And for these people to state that the Marines were in their territory just gives everyone the right to fire upon anyone who happens to be in “their territory.” The Marines have an oath to protect this country from its enemies, both foreign and domestic. The MILF and Abu Sayyaf and whoever carries a gun in the name of religious orientation are domestic enemies! We recall the big military offensive during the Erap administration where our soldiers overran Camp Abubakkar. After which a ceasefire was appealed for. Again, just how convenient was that for the enemy at that time! It is time to treat these groups as enemies of the state. Since the government is selling the new Anti-Terror Law, well here is the first test case. The government already knows who the leaders are. Perhaps it is time for their heads to roll. An executive decision is needed badly. We are a sovereign nation, Mindanao definitely included. No excuses. These terrorists must be crushed once and for all! Enough is enough is enough!